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This forum has convinced my family and I to put Austin at the top of our list of cities to research for a place to live. The forum and the internet are amazing for research, but of course nothing replaces getting your butt out there to see everything for yourself. So, we are planning a trip to check out Austin for about 3-4 days.

Although there are many threads that discuss the great things to do in Austin, I would really like to know what we should do to show us the REAL Austin ... places where we can see the typical people, and really experience what day-to-day life would be like. In other words, perhaps not the best places for scenery, etc., but the best places to get a picture of what life and the locals are like there. For example, in San Diego, I'd recommend that you (in addition to the Zoo, ocean, etc.) add a stroll through the local DMV (department of motor vehicles) to see a true cross-section of the population.

For me, the best place to interact with the people you would be living with is to go the mall. Lakeline Mall is really nice and in the vicinity of Steiner Ranch. It is off of 183 and 620. There are alot of restaurants in the area too.